Spyware Blockers 411

Malware goes by many different names including spyware, adware, rouges software, etc. Some people use the term spyware to describe any malicious software that isn’t considered a computer virus, while others prefer malware. Honestly, it is getting harder everyday to distinguish viruses, malware spyware and all the other types of harmful computer programs that can infect your PC. A malware remover is a program specifically designed to remove all harmful components and get your computer running as new again. Some malware remover programs will not only remove malware, but will also actively block this type of software from infecting your computer in the first place.

Malware remover programs combat malware two different ways:

1.    Real Time Protection:

Similar to an antivirus program the malware remover will constantly monitor computer activity and incoming network data watching and waiting to block all and any threats that come in contact with your computer. This will stop the installation (effectively blocking) of any malware in real-time.

2.    Detection and Removal:

Available when needed, this type of software is one of the most popular types of malware removers. You choose when to scan your system for malware components. The malware remover checks each and every file on your computer and compares them against its database of known malware and removers all threats.

Examples of Malware Removal Software:

• ParetoLogic’s XoftspySE
• PC Tools Spyware Doctor 2010

We recommend XoftspySE as our #1 malware remover for 2010.

I was surfing the Internet, minding my own business, hoping to find a good price on an airline ticket to Hawaii. As I was finalizing the ticket reservation, a small popup began to flash, notifying me that my PC was infected with spyware. As the popup looked exactly like a Windows system warning, I clicked Ok and it began to scan my system. When the scan was complete, the software notified me that I had 152 malicious files on my hard drive. Thank goodness for Windows XP and its great security. I hit Ok to remove the files and then I was directed to a website that asked for $49 to download the program required to get rid of the spyware.

Duh! I thought, and closed the browser. How naïve am I? Then another window opened, and then another. I attempted to close them, but new ones opened faster than I could close them down. I had to shut down the system with the power button as the entire system froze up. What a nightmare. I had visions of my entire hard drive being erased by the virus as I booted up a second time. I prayed to the computer gods to please, please, please let it boot back up.

What I did not realize was that I had lost the battle the moment the first popup appeared. The spyware bot was already installed and infecting my PC. When I chose to scan the hard drive, I gave it the ok to install itself on my system.

When I booted back up, it was gone, but only for a little while. Where was it you may ask? It was gathering information from my hard drive, sending it back to the software developer and when it was all done, it hijacked my system yet once again.

I paid the $49 to make it go away, but I knew that it was still on my hard drive, lurking around, stealing my information. It allowed me to browse the internet uninterrupted so it could lie in wait and track my every move.

What I should have done was purchased Paretologic’s XoftspySE in the first place. XoftspySE provides my system with a titanium level defense against these types of threats. I knew it was a legitimate program as over 20 million users have downloaded it to date. The reviews were very positive throughout the web. When I installed the program, it squashed hundreds of spyware files like little cockroaches.

As some of you may already know, spyware is a malware (malicious software) that is secretly installed on computers and collects information about the users without their knowledge. Generally, the presence of spyware is unknown to the user. Because of the stealthy properties of a spyware, the user might get one unknowingly. This is somewhat very disturbing as you don’t want the spyware to infiltrate your system.

The functions of a spyware go beyond simple secret monitoring. Spyware programs can gather many types of personal information, like internet surfing habits and sites the user has been visiting. More troublesome cases such as the spyware’s ability to take over the controls of the computer in many ways, and installing additional unnecessary software, are not rare. Spyware is also known to alter computer settings, making the internet connection slow down.

A spyware don’t usually attack a computer singlehandedly, usually the machine already has multiple infections. As an effect, the user may observe unwanted behavior and significant slow down of performance from the computer. Various effects can range from simple unnecessary disk usage to the dreaded blue screen of death. Common stability issues include application freezing, failure to boot and system-wide crashes.

Owners with badly infected systems can opt to call technical support experts but owners with damage beyond repair resort to buying a new computer. The main reason is that the computer may have hugely slowed down rendering it useless. Other infected computers may require complete reinstallation of all their software for them to be functional again.

Some types of spyware such as the keylogger on the other hand, are being purposely and secretly installed by the owner of a shared, corporate or public computer so that he can secretly monitor other users. Learning where spyware comes from can prevent your computer from getting infected. These unwanted malware can come from any of these sources: installed application, emails and websites.

Not all free programs are beneficial. Installed applications such as the ones that allow you to download mp3’s for free, allow you to add graphics to your email, track the weather on your desktop, lets you manage your desktop wallpaper, and video games may contain spyware.

And just like viruses, spyware can also be transmitted through email. They usually come as file attachments but just by clicking open the email, it may already be triggered. See to it that you have the latest updates and patches for your email client.

Websites enable scripts that install spyware on your PC without you even noticing it. Users grant permission to the installation of spyware without them knowing they are already doing so. Browser developers combat these by upgrading their protection with updates.

You can prevent your computer from getting infected by executing only the programs and visiting only the websites you are familiar with. Never open emails from unknown senders. Do not install anything on your computer unless you have read a good review of it from a respectable publication. Avoid visiting websites which are shady. You can pretty much tell if a website contains malicious codes judging from its appearance.

Are you experiencing a significant drop in your computers processing speed? Your computer might be infected with spyware. Ignoring this symptom may lead to other serious damage to your pc. It is best to download high quality spyware blocker before it is too late.

To effectively combat spyware, you must first obtain knowledge of what it is and what it does. Here is a brief overview of the spyware. Spyware is a kind of malware (malicious software) which is secretly installed to a computer without the user’s knowledge. It collects various valuable data and information about the user in secret – from keystrokes, documents, images and even system information. It can collect anything that it has been programmed to.

Now how do you get spyware? There are various ways of acquiring one without your knowing. For example, the free software applications which you download may be bundled with spyware and other forms of malicious software. Applications like these can be spread using peer to peer sharing networks and websites. Applications like Limewire are to be avoided because they have no security system to check files before download. And before you bite in to websites offering free stuff, you must make sure that they are, In fact, genuine and official.

Secondly, when you visit websites with multimedia content, sometimes you will need codecs in order to view them. This is a perfect chance for evildoers to offer codecs when you visit a fake site. What you don’t know is the codec may be bundled with malicious content ready to be installed once you download it. Always be on the watch for these bogus multimedia websites.

Another way to get spyware is to open questionable emails from people you don’t know, this is probably the most classic way of spreading the malware. They usually come as file attachments and just by opening the email, the spyware have already been installed.

You may have already been infected by spyware and its best to download spyware blocker right away. Although spyware are not as dangerous as the viruses, they can really breach your privacy and can slow down your PC’s performance. As it collects various important data, it takes up a lot of up your RAM. This in turn makes processing time really sluggish. After gathering the essential information, the spyware then sends all of it to the developer. While you perform online transactions, spyware may even collect your back account, credit card number, password and other significant details.

Protect your PC from spyware with spyware blocker. You can find various sources on the web from where you can download spyware blocker. Most of them have free trial period ranging from 30 to 60 days. It is advised to purchase genuine spyware blocker software that comes with a full version and enables your PC to perform how it is supposed to.

A good spyware blocker must detect almost every malware out there. It must provide easy to use guide on how to eliminate spyware. It must also come with frequent updates and have different monitoring options available. Have all of these checked and you have a high quality spyware blocker.